The Rise of Solo
by Aurora521
Summary: What if Ben Solo didn't have to give his life to save Rey? Can the dyad in the Force make it out of Exegol alive, and what happens if they do? Redemption is hard to achieve, but it always starts with a single act. A story that explores an alternate ending to TROS. Reylo. Slow burn.
1. Chapter 1

**Summary: ****What if Ben Solo didn't have to give his life to save Rey? Can the dyad in the Force make it out of Exogal alive, and what happens if they do? Redemption is hard to achieve, but it always starts with a single act. A story that explores an alternate ending to TROS. Oneshot that may develop into a full-length fic. Reylo.**

**I am taking my first foray into the world of Reylo after finally seeing The Rise of Skywalker. I should warn everyone that I haven't been a serious Star Wars fan for long, so it's likely I'll mess up somewhere with spelling/location/characters/etc. Feel free to shoot me a message or leave a review if I make one of those mistakes and I'll be happy to correct it!**

**I'll say this now. I know Reylo is a controversial ship, so if you don't like it, this isn't the story for you. Please keep negative opinions and arguments about Reylo out of the reviews. I'm happy to explain my support of the ship over PM if you want to message me, but mostly I like to enjoy my ships and keep out of drama.**

* * *

Ben Solo limped toward the young woman who was laying on the ground. When his legs would no longer support him, he crawled his way to her, carefully picking up her limp body to cradle her in his lap. He stared at Rey for a long moment, brushing his fingers over the bloody wounds on her face and recalling how she had healed him on the remains of the Death Star not long ago. Her breathing was shallow, and Ben could sense her presence in the Force shifting from something living to something ghostly.

Reaching deep into the reserves of his own strength, he placed a hand over her heart and began pushing his life energy into her. After a moment, he felt a smaller hand grasp his larger one weakly.

"Stop," Rey whispered hoarsely. "You can't give me all—"

"I can," Ben argued. "You have to live."

She stared at his face, looking at the unblemished skin that had once been marred by a scar she had left in a time that felt like another life. His full lips quivered, from exhaustion or grief Rey did not know, and his eyes were red-rimmed and brimming with tears. Like her, he was caked in blood, dirt, and sweat.

Rey stared into his eyes, the deep brown orbs that often seemed to be the only way he was capable of expressing emotions. And right now, they were overflowing with them.

"You have to live too," she said firmly as she stared into the eyes of Ben Solo.

As the Jedi spoke, she pushed against the energy that was flowing into her to stop him from healing her further.

"Rey," he protested, pushing back.

She moved his hand away, and he finally stopped fighting her request. The battle was only making them both weaker. They sat in silence for a moment and Rey sat up, leaning her head into his neck. The only sound was their heavy breathing and the exploding of ships above them. Eventually, she climbed to her feet slowly and extended a hand.

"I can't walk," the man said.

"You haven't even tried," Rey answered sharply. "I am taking you out of here, Ben Solo, even if I have to carry you."

Biting back a grunt, he took her hand and forced himself to stand. His companion wrapped an arm around his waist, and he draped his over her shoulder, leaning into her heavily. The leg he'd damaged during his fall held no weight.

Together, the two began to slowly make the journey to the X Wing Rey had flown to Exegol. They barely made it half way out before both were panting and too exhausted to continue.

"Rey, let me give you my strength… please," Ben tried to insist again.

She ignored his request, closing her eyes and reaching out with the Force for anyone who could help. Ben had a strong presence, and she noticed that he was no longer conflicted in his allegiance. Barely anything of Kylo Ren remained inside him, though they both knew some of the Dark Side would forever lay dormant in him… as it did in everyone.

Rey reached beyond him for a weaker but still noticeable presence.

"Help us. Please, help us," she murmured aloud, sending the message through the Force.

Then she collapsed.

* * *

Finn could feel a voice in his head. Not hear it like he could hear the explosions and firing of lasers around him but feel it like he could feel the beat of his heart.

_Help us. Please, help us._

It had to be Rey. The words felt weak and desperate, but still incredibly powerful. An image flashed across his vision, an image of ships exploding above him… no, above her. And a face, a face he couldn't make out well enough but that seemed familiar still.

"Lando. Chewie," he spoke through the radio, knowing the Falcon could get to her much faster. "Rey is in that pit… where the lightning came from. She needs help."

"We're on it kid," Lando answered steering the ship towards the dark hole that had opened in the ground several minutes ago. "Blow some stuff up for us. We'll see you at home."

He carefully maneuvered the Falcon to a precarious landing on the cracked ground. Chewie looked out the window at the piles of rubble surrounding them and let out a loud warble.

"Do I look like I know what happened here?" Lando answered.

The duo exited the ship with their weapons at the ready, neither sure exactly what this place was or what they would find here. They were in the secret world of the Sith, so neither was particularly optimistic about finding a helpful Ewok on this new adventure. This utterly destroyed room seemed entirely devoid of life, but if Finn said Rey was here, then here she must be.

Chewie let out a loud call that echoed off the stone ominously.

"Chewie! Quiet!" His partner chastised. "We don't know—"

The Wookie cut him off with another loud cry, and in the distance, a glowing blue light appeared.

* * *

Ben leaned against a wall with Rey's head resting on his lap. He'd barely caught her as she fell, sliding down the wall with her body cradled in his arms and painfully breaking her fall with his own body. Even battle-worn and unconscious, she was beautiful, he decided. Almost unconsciously, he wrapped a strand of her hair around his finger and remembered for the first time in years how he used to braid his mother's hair. At first, he was terrible at it, and Leia was always redoing the messy, loose braids. Then, one day, she came home with his braid still wrapping around her head. He had been so proud of himself. He hadn't been proud of himself for a long time.

"Your friends are coming for you. It's going to be okay," he whispered to her in his gravelly voice. "I'll take care of you, Rey. It will all be okay."

Without warning, a sound echoed through the cavern, disturbing his whispers. It was a noise one he couldn't quite place but that seemed familiar. Ben stopped talking, listening carefully and reaching out with the force. He was too weak to sense anything besides the presence of two… people?

A moment later there was another call. It was the same sound he heard after killing his father, he realized as he fought down waves of regret. The Wookie, Chewbacca, who was always with Han, even in Ben's childhood, and who had watched Kylo Ren murder him was calling for Rey.

Ben grasped the lightsaber attached to Rey's hip, and pressed the button on the hilt. The blue blade illuminated the pair and would show the Wookie and his companion where they were. Now all he could do was wait and hold the woman who had fought so hard to draw him from the Dark Side.

He shifted them so she faced him, and held her tightly to his chest, his hand supporting her neck as he buried his face in her hair.

That was how Lando and Chewie found them.

"What did you do to her, Ren?" Lando demanded, training his gun on the son of his oldest friend.

Chewie echoed the question in his own language.

"I didn't do this," Ben answered, trembling all over as he let the saber fall to the ground and roll away. "Kill me if you want, but you have to save her."

Chewie made a soft, curious sound.

"I see it too," Lando said, looking closer at Kylo Ren and squinting hard. "Ben?"

"Uncle Lando," he murmured back as an answer. "You have to save her. She's strong… she'll survive."

Lando knelt and scooped Rey into his arms, lifting her small body carefully. Ben leaned back with a shaky sigh, content knowing she would survive even though he wouldn't. Still, his eyes filled with tears as he reached out to touch her hand for the last time. Their fingers brushed lightly as they had so long ago before, and he felt his life flashing through his mind in an instant. The images came rapidly but clearly.

_A desert planet. Jungle. Stars. Two blue lightsabers clashing together, but not cruelly. _

_A soft bed. Swamp. His fingers running through thick brown hair. _

_Clouds. A yellow lightsaber. _

_A child with his hand outstretched. Ancient runes. Braids. An old book. _

_A small hand grasping his. _

_Arms wrapped around him when he woke, sobbing. _

_Blue figures. Ocean. Mountains. Sunlight streaming through a window. _

_Brown eyes looking down at him. Flying. _

_Lips pressed against his._

He wasn't seeing his past, he realized, dropping his arm to his side quickly. He was seeing the future… the future he would never experience.

"Take care of her," he said, voice thick with the memory of all he had just seen.

The Wookie let out another quiet sad call.

"Of course! Why do you think I'm carrying her?"

Chewie nodded and slid his hairy arms under Ben's nearly unconscious body, picking him up as carefully as Lando had picked up Rey. Lando smiled at the confused young man being cradled by a Wookie.

"You're gonna have to take care of her yourself kiddo. I betrayed your parents once. I won't do the same to you."

* * *

**I hope you all enjoyed this! For the moment, it's just going to be the one chapter. Once I get some more time, I might continue and make it a full-length story about Ben's path to redemption.**

**Please follow, favorite, and review to let me know if I should continue or leave it as a one-shot! Getting reviews always makes my day, and I'd love to hear from you all!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Um... wow. Chapter one got such a great reception that I guess I have no choice but to continue. Thank you to everyone who has followed, favorited, reviewed, or even just read this story, and I hope the next chapters live up to your expectations. **

**Fair warning, I do like to write really comprehensive (I think that's the word I want) stories that focus on characters besides the main pairing, so there will be spots that don't have much direct Reylo interaction. This chapter is one of those, but my goal is that I can give Ben and Rey more depth individually to give their relationship more depth.**

* * *

When Rey woke up, she was in the familiar Resistance Headquarters on Ajan Kloss. The young Jedi experienced a moment of pure happiness and relief that quickly shifted to dread as she recalled the events on Exegol. Ben had been there with her, standing at her side with a blue lightsaber when she needed him most. She remembered the steady feel of his arms wrapping around her as she fell. But he wasn't with her in this sterile white room.

She reached out with the Force, trying to see him through their bond. His image never appeared in front of her, but Rey could sense his faint but unmistakable presence somewhere close by. The Resistance had rescued him too. The woman let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding as her door slid open

"Welcome back Master Rey!" C-3PO's voice pulled her back to the present, and the droid entered the room with R2-D2 beeping delightedly at his side. "Master Finn and Master Poe will be so happy to see you! They've been waiting three days for you to wake up."

R2 beeped loudly and rocked back and forth.

"What? Well, how was I supposed to know not to tell her how long it's been?"

Another beep.

"I would never talk over someone else!"

"You do it all the time, 3PO," Poe joined the group in Rey's small room, smiling broadly at his friend lying in the medical bed. "Welcome back to the living."

"I didn't know if I'd make it," Rey answered, returning his smile.

"You gave Finn quite a scare on Exegol. He was worried he was hearing voices and whatnot."

As if summoned by his name, Finn peeked his head around the door.

"I knew it was her talking the whole time!" He protested. "It just was weird is all."

"Finn!" Rey laughed, delightedly. "You sensed the Force? That's incredible! Come in here. Where's BB-8 and his new friend? And Chewie… is he okay?"

The appearance of the people who had become like her family distracted her from Ben for the moment.

"BB-8 and D-O are right behind me," Finn answered, taking a seat at her bed-side. "And Chewie's fine."

"Yes, have the chair… sure," Poe muttered under his breath, much to Rey's amusement.

"He and Lando rescued you," Finn explained, not hearing his friend's mutterings.

"Lando?" Rey asked. "He came?"

"Brought himself and half the ships in the galaxy," Poe said with a wide grin as he remembered the sight of thousands, maybe millions, of ships popping into the sky. "I'd almost given up hope, but suddenly there they all were."

R2 whirred and beeped several times.

"R2 would like to amend the story to point out that Master Poe _had_ given up hope," C-3PO translated, much to the pilot's annoyance.

"Thanks, 3PO."

"You are very welcome, sir."

"What happened to you, Rey, down in that… whatever that pit was? You've been asleep for days," Finn questioned, ignoring the exchange between Poe and the droid.

"Palpatine is gone," she answered simply. "For good this time. Ben and I…"

She trailed off, not wanting to share everything and unsure what parts she did want to tell them. There were some moments of the story that felt too intimate to share with anyone besides the man who she already shared them with.

"Where is Ben?"

The two men glanced at each other, having a silent conversation while Rey stared at them. C-3PO began to speak but was silenced by a sharp look from Finn.

"Finn? Poe? Tell me what is happening," she demanded, beginning to worry about Ben's state as the men continued to stare at each other. "Right now!"

BB-8 released a flurry of nervous sounding beeps.

"Scared," D-O whirred, glancing around the room.

"Yes, Master Rey is quite intimidating," C-3PO agreed.

Finally, Poe began to speak.

"Kylo Ren is—"

"Ben," Rey interrupted firmly.

"Ben," Poe corrected himself, the name feeling wrong to him. "Is in another room, and yes, he's received treatment. But he hasn't woken up since he got here, and honestly… I don't know what we'll do with him if he does."

Rey was reminded again that Leia was gone. She felt her Master move on from their world after the battle on the Death Star. If she were here, surely there would be no question that her son would be welcomed. Now it seemed Poe, the often hotheaded and always trigger-happy pilot, and Finn, a stupidly brave and intensely loyal former Stormtrooper, were the leaders of the Resistance.

"I want to see him," she announced after a moment. "Poe. Finn. Leia gave her life turning her son to the Light. I've felt his soul, and he is _not_ conflicted. Ben was willing to give his life so I could live. He isn't Kylo Ren anymore, I swear it."

"That doesn't bring back the people he killed, which was a lot," Finn spoke for the first time in a while.

"You killed people as a Stormtrooper and after. Poe has too… and me, and Chewie, and, well… and everyone. We say we're killing for the right reasons, for the greater good, but doesn't everyone think that? No one is innocent in war." The harsh but true words spilled from her mouth rapidly. "I understand Ben in a way that no one else can. Yes, he has made a million mistakes, and maybe you see him as incapable of earning redemption, but I don't believe that… I can't believe that."

"If, and I mean _if_, the Resistance decides to give him a chance, it will not be easy," Poe replied, his lips pursed together. "I know you two have some sort of connection, and I don't pretend to understand it. It's just… well it's hard for anyone here to see him the way you do."

Both men believed what Rey was saying, quite simply because they believed in her. Still, housing Supreme Leader Kylo Ren in their base was making the few remaining Resistance fighters uneasy. It made Finn and Poe uneasy too. The two Resistance Generals had their doubts that the guards outside Ren's door would be any use if he wanted to use his powers. Keeping him alive was a gamble.

"I know it won't be easy," Rey assured them in a determined voice. "But he deserves a chance to show you the side of him that I see. Now, I'd like to see him."

Finn had to smile as Rey's stubbornness surfaced again. He knew there would be no arguing with her now.

"As soon as you can walk, I'll take you to him," Poe conceded, knowing as well as Finn that there was no arguing with Rey after she set her mind to something.

Rey grasped the tubes in her arms and yanked them out. The machines she had been attached to beeped loudly.

"Bad. Bad, bad!" D-O repeated, rolling around the floor anxiously.

Poe jumped up and flicked the monitors off quickly, even as Rey was climbing out of her bed to stand on shaky legs.

"Master Rey, I don't think this is a good idea," C-3PO tried to reason with Rey.

"For once, I agree with the droids," Poe added, grabbing her arm to steady her.

"I am very flattered, sir."

"Don't get used to it."

Rey shrugged off their concern, reaching for a pile of clothes.

"I'm about to change," she announced pointedly.

The two men and four droids quickly retreated from the room, hovering just outside her closed door for a long moment.

"I can take her to see him," Poe offered. "You should get back to your mission. The First Order may be gone, but there's still plenty of work to be done."

Finn nodded his agreement, wanting to spend time with Rey but knowing that Jannah and the other rebelled Stormtroopers would be waiting for his plans.

"Make sure she doesn't do anything stupid, will you?" He requested.

"I'll do my best, but you may have noticed that Rey does what she wants."

Poe, of course, was completely correct.

* * *

Because Chewbacca was one of the largest Resistance fighters, and because he had, as Poe put it, "brought the enemy directly into the goddamn base," he was assigned to guard Kylo Ren. The Wookie was posted outside the door, along with two other Resistance fighters, when Poe and Rey arrived.

"Chewie!" she exclaimed, practically throwing herself at him.

He let out a happy cry, nearly crushing the much smaller woman with his tight hug.

"Thank you so much," she looked up at him, remembering that Finn said he helped rescue her and Ben.

"General Dameron. Rey," one of the armed men greeted the pair, formally. "The prisoner is still asleep."

"General," a woman joined the conversation. "If I may, when will he be gone?"

"I don't know," Poe replied. "We're discussing our options, but for now, Rey would like to see him."

"Do us all a favor and finish him off while you're there," the woman bit out.

Her face was written with anger and grief. Deep dark circles, pinched lips, and deep wrinkles made her look years older. It was obvious to Rey that this woman had lost someone to the First Order.

"I understand your anger," Rey said gently and truthfully, before walking into the room where Ben Solo was waiting.

* * *

**I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, and rest assured that more Ben/Rey interaction is coming soon. My Tumblr for fanfiction is Aurora521, and I post whenever I update a story. Feel free to give me a follow if you want updates (and maybe sneak peeks ****of new chapters)!**

**Again, thank you so much for giving this story such a positive reception. Please keep the great reviews coming; it is so exciting to see that you all really enjoy this story! **


	3. Chapter 3

**My thesis work is killing me, so I apologize for the slow update. I spent a lot of time on this chapter, and I think you'll find it was worth the wait.**

**Note number one, Rey as a character is really challenging for me to write because I don't completely agree with/understand/like her character development throughout the trilogy. I'm writing her the way I see her, but I don't think my interpretation aligns with canon very well. I hope you all like my interpretation of her though.**

**Note number two, in this story, they never experienced the kiss of Exegol. Both characters are still struggling to figure out what they are together. Don't worry though, there will be plenty of kissing coming soon.**

* * *

The dyad was alone again, this time in a well-lit, sterile, white room. Poe waited outside, respecting Rey's obvious desire for privacy.

Ben rested on his back, asleep on the bed as Rey approached. He wore a strangely peaceful expression. His eyelids twitched as he dreamed, lips parted slightly as he breathed in and out slowly… calmly. Rey sat down in the chair next to the bed and studied the man closely, noticing that his jaw didn't clench and twitch while he slept. The dark circles under his eyes were partially gone, and his face appeared less hollow while he rested, blissfully unaware of the world around him.

Rey was only able to appreciate his serene face for a few minutes before his eyes flickered open and fixed on her. He seemed to be able to sense the presence of the young woman, almost as if he had been waiting for her arrival to wake up.

"You scared me," were the first words he said in a sleepy voice.

Rey didn't answer, throwing her arms around him as best she could. Ben could only lay on the bed underneath her and raise his arms to place his large hands on her thin waist. Years of scavenging and starving had made her small. Small, but not weak.

After a moment, she sat down on the bed facing him, legs tucked beneath her. Their Force bond had allowed them to touch and talk, but there was something entirely different about breathing the same air. Neither of them knew what to do now that there wasn't anything to fight.

Ben chose to study Rey's hair, noticing the way it cascaded over her shoulders and down her back, completely unrestrained. It was disconcerting. He wanted to reach out, run it through his fingers, twist it carefully into braids. Could he remember how to do that?

His hand moved of its own volition, reaching out and wrapping a strand of her hair around his forefinger. It was soft, unlike her sharp tongue, fearless personality, and bony frame. There was an obvious dichotomy between Rey's hair and everything else about her, and Ben was drawn to every aspect of the woman in a way he had never felt drawn to anything. Not for the first time, he wondered how someone as powerful as Rey could be contained at all, let alone by this small and gentle looking frame.

"What happens to me now?" Ben shattered the silence and fragile sense of calm with his question.

"We don't know," Rey answered, watching his hand play with her hair out the corner of her eye.

"They're angry."

Now that he was awake, Ben could sense the tension and rage all around him.

"Yes," Rey knew it was a waste of time to lie to him.

"I'll be executed."

The thought that the Resistance would demand his execution had unfortunately passed through her mind many times since she awoke.

"I won't let that happen," she replied, still completely honest with her words.

"What if… I… deserve it?"

Ben let his hand fall back on the bed, turning his face away and refusing to meet Rey's eyes as he struggled to hide the tumult of emotions that threatened to overwhelm him. He had done horrible things, things that even the memory of made him feel sick. Things that made him a villain. Things that made him irredeemable. Things that made him not worthy of Rey's time and energy and… love.

"Stop doing that!" She demanded, moving his face to look at her.

"Doing what?" He answered with a heavy voice. "Believing I'm a monster? You said it yourself."

"No, stop refusing to feel anything. I know you're hurting. I- I—" she couldn't seem to summon the words to describe what was happening in her mind.

Being near each other, actually physically near each other, was affecting her more now than ever before. As their bond had grown, Rey had been able to sense Ben's feelings sporadically, sometimes even across half the galaxy, and as her training progressed, she could focus her powers to read the emotions of the people around her. But this, what was happening now, was something new.

Without trying or wanting to, she could feel Ben's emotions so clearly that they tangled with her own, wrestling for dominance in her mind. Fear. Grief. Regret. Sadness. Guilt. Loneliness. It was difficult to separate her own feelings from his.

"Right now, I am feeling everything you feel," she finally whispered. "Vividly. You don't get to use that mask to hide. Not from me."

Rey ran her fingers across his cheek, his forehead, down his nose, and settled her warm hand on his chest. Deliberately, Ben covered it with his own, wanting to keep her close as long as he could. He tried to read her feelings the way she read his, unsuccessfully. The man could sense her emotions no better than he could anyones.

"I'm afraid," he admitted quietly, moving his eyes up to meet hers.

"I am too," she replied, not breaking the eye contact. "I am too."

* * *

After a few days, the doctors deemed Rey strong enough to rejoin the efforts of the Resistance. Ben was still being guardedly closely, but he'd moved from the medical area to a prison cell of sorts. This base never had a need to house prisoners before, so his cell was a ragtag mass of anything the Resistance fighters thought would contain the former Supreme Leader.

He made almost everyone uneasy. Rey was the only one that visited him for non-Resistance matters. Lando and Chewie had a few times, but now both were out flying a mission. It was Poe who spent the most time with Ben, collecting detailed information about the various First Order bases scattered throughout the galaxy. No one could deny that his knowledge was proving useful in bringing down the scattered remains of the First Order, but for most of the Resistance, those secrets were all he was good for.

"I say we let Poe gets everything he can from him, then we stop letting him waste our air!" A man shouted, slamming his hand hard on the table as his face grew redder and redder.

"With our current air consumption and the number of trees on this planet, it is impossible to run out of air. We would have to cut—"

"3PO, it's an expression," Finn interrupted the droid before lowering his head to massage his temples. "Still, his point kind of makes sense. We aren't short on resources anymore, so executing him accomplishes nothing."

He was one of nine Resistance leaders seated around the table, including Poe and Rey, debating the fate of the man who had tormented the galaxy. R2-D2, BB-8, and C-3PO were also listening, contributing recordings and translating stories about Kylo Ren and the First Order that they had received.

"Killing him ensures he will never harm us again, and it allows justice to be brought the whole galaxy," a Sullustan that Rey had only seen a few times before argued back.

"Murder is not justice," Rey spoke for the first time since the start of the meeting hours ago, and all eyes turned toward her. "If you kill him- if you can kill him- it is only for revenge. An act of anger, however justified you feel it may be, is an act of the Dark Side."

A few of the leaders nodded. The Resistance had quickly realized that Rey not only lacked the desire to kill Kylo Ren, but possessed some sort of bond with the man.

"And when he's done playing his little game, done pretending to be Ben Solo Savior of the Resistance, redeemed mass murderer… what then? If he is dead, we are safer. It is a simple calculus."

That comment also received some nods.

"He's not playing a game," Rey answered firmly. "I know what people are feeling. I can sense when someone is lying, and Ben is not lying. He _has_ cast Kylo Ren aside, and he has changed. It is up to us to give him the chance to prove it."

"That's crap," the yelling man stood back up and stared at the young woman with hate-filled eyes. "How do we know you're not under his influence? Maybe you want us to set him free because he's gotten you enamored with the Dark Side! That monster is strong with the Force! He could be controlling you! You could be a Sith! We have no reason to trust you, a half-trained Jedi who we never even saw on Exegol!"

He pointed a finger in her face with those last words, spit flying across the table at her.

Poe and Finn were both ready to jump to her defense, but Rey beat them to it. She stood, sending her chair crashing backward and making several people jump.

"Remove your hand from my face," she spat out in a deadly tone.

R2 beeped twice, but 3PO shushed him. After a second, the man lowered his hand but continued glowering at the young Jedi.

"I was trained by the son and daughter of Anakin Skywalker. I am strong enough to not be controlled by anyone, and I am strong enough to resist the pull to the Dark Side. You dishonor Luke and Leia's memory with your accusations," Rey's voice was hushed, but lined with sharp steel that demanded the attention of the room. "The Dark Side has tempted me many times. Many times, my… my family and Kylo Ren tried pulling me to the path of anger, revenge, and hatred. I resisted."

Fists clenched, the young Jedi walked out of the room, head held high. She paused at the door and looked back at the table.

"Once you have decided Ben's fate, will you be able to say the same?"

* * *

**It ended up being shorter than I expected, but I hope you enjoyed it! More coming soon, but please be patient because college is very stressful.**

**Thanks to all the reviewers, followers, and favoritors (I just made that word up)! I love all the feedback! **


	4. Chapter 4

**Hey everyone. I appreciate your patience so much. This is a longer chapter, and I really hope you like it. The next several chapters are going to be all Ben/Rey time' this is the last where they don't have much interaction.**

**On a very personal note, this chapter took so long because I experienced an unexpected personal tragedy a few weeks ago. Please know, that every single one of you is important to someone, and someone will miss you if you are gone. The suicide prevention hotline is ****1-800-273-8255, and there is no shame in getting help if you need it. Mental Health is important! ****I promise that you matter and that your life is worth living, even if it doesn't feel like it now. ****Not to sound like a grumpy old person, but tell the people you care about that you care because one day you might not have that chance.**

**And on that serious note, please enjoy this chapter... **

* * *

Blue light streaked through the air, slicing at the hovering drone but striking nothing. A laser seared the young Jedi's shoulder before she could block, and she swung at it again. Again, her saber struck where the drone had been, not where it was. Another laser strike made Rey rip off the helmet that blinded her. She growled, swung, and missed again. Her focus was horribly off. All she could think about was the man locked away deep in the Resistance base.

"You need a better teacher."

Her hair whipped her face as she spun around to face the voice, powering down the drone as she did. He was dressed in a loose white shirt and black pants, not unlike an outfit his father would have worn.

"And you need to be resting," Rey shot back.

Ben looked her up and down, noticing the heaviness in her shoulders, her slumped posture, her haphazard hair, and the lines and dark circles writ deep into her skin.

"I could say the same about you," he answered.

"I can't."

"Why not?"

"All I can think about it the Council's decision."

"About me?" He replied, face expressionless as he buried his own worry. "Why aren't you in there then?"

"I think I've said my piece," Rey answered, remembering her outburst three long days ago.

Since then, she had visited Ben only once. All her time was dedicated to mastering the course where Leia had been training her. She was honing her skills, proving, mostly to herself, that she was more than just Palpatine's granddaughter. Rey had to know that her strength and power with the Force came from herself too, not only her family. She was more than a descendant of a powerful Sith, and she had to believe she was stronger than her blood.

"You are," Ben breathed softly.

"Stop it!" Rey protested against his intrusion of her thoughts, pushing his presence out of her mind easily. "How are you even doing that without being here?"

The man shrugged, not totally understanding it himself, and the pair stood staring at one another for a few seconds. Rey could feel his emotions through their bond, and it seemed he could read her foremost thoughts. Even at a distance, they were connected.

BB-8's beeping broke the silence, growing louder until finally Rey turned to watch the droid roll through the woods. It stopped and emitted a loud and frantic series of beeps and whirrs.

"They need me," she whispered, half to herself and half to Ben.

When she turned back, he was gone.

* * *

Chaos touched the edge of Rey's mind as she entered the Resistance building. Something was happening in the base, she could sense it. Immediately, her hand went to Leia's light saber, and she walked cautiously through the doors with BB-8 rolling along at her side. It seemed no one was actually fighting, but judging by the screaming echoing through the hallway, that wasn't far off.

She followed the sounds to the room she had stormed out of a few days earlier and found the man she knew only as 'the yelling man' standing on a table doing exactly that. Rey stepped through the open door and gazed around the room but remained unnoticed.

"I thought you at least would vote to kill the man who slaughtered your entire species!"

"I chose the path I thought General Leia would have. Forgiveness."

"You are all putting the galaxy at risk again! And for what? To please a dead woman and little girl with a crush!"

She had to bite her tongue at that remark.

Poe and Finn stood across the room from him, looking at him calmly. The council sat around them, literally on the edge of their seats with tension coiling in them as they watched the exchange.

"The Resistance is a Democracy. The vote of this Council represents our decision. You don't have to agree with the outcome, but you have to respect it," Poe replied firmly. "And Rey is a Jedi, not a little girl. She is the ninth member of this Council and by rights provides the tie-breaking vote."

"Master Rey! Thank goodness you've arrived," C3PO exclaimed, finally catching sight of her. "Your wisdom will be of much—"

The scoffing of the Sullustan who had argued for Ben's death interrupted the droid's words.

"Yes, the wisdom of Kylo Ren's lover. A truly impartial voice," he sneered.

"Sit down Rey, let us explain the vote," Finn sighed.

The Jedi did, taking the seat next to Poe so she sat directly across from the yelling man who was climbing off the table. He stared at her, and Rey could feel the hate emanating from him in waves. She pitied him, she decided after a moment of contemplation. Anyone so filled with hate and unable to process their anger was destined to live a painful life.

"Two options are one the table," Poe began, and the room fell silent. "First, executing Kylo Ren. This will be in a public setting to send a message to the galaxy that tyranny will no longer be tolerated."

R2 beeped from his spot in the corner of the room.

"Of course they know what irony is!" 3PO chastised. "Now be quiet."

Finn actually snorted at their exchange, but few others looked amused.

"The second choice is more complicated," Poe continued as if the droids had said nothing. "We will set Kylo Ren free under several conditions."

Rey leaned forward and folded her hands on the table.

"Which are?"

"Total bullshit!" The man across from her jumped in, no longer able to contain himself.

"Andre," Finn exhaled harshly through his nose, nostrils flaring as he did. "Get a hold of yourself!"

Andre, the yelling man, huffed, and Finn looked back at Rey.

"The conditions are that he helps heal the damage the First Order caused to the Galaxy. Travel between planets to free Stormtroopers, end slave markets, deliver provisions, weed out the last First Order Bases—"

"Or rejoin the First Order as Supreme Leader!"

Rey turned to him, another harsh rebuke on her tongue, but Poe beat her to it.

"Andre, enough!" The General shouted, slamming his fist on the table. "We have your vote. Either control yourself or get out!"

Andre sneered at the Resistance General but decided to be silent. Rey shot daggers at him with her eyes, and he glared defiantly right back.

"Like I was saying," Finn continued. "He would be doing what our fighters are out doing now, restoring peace."

"Alone?" Rey asked, thinking about Ben wandering the Galaxy for years with only his thoughts for company.

"Not exactly," Finn muttered. "At best, he could desert his duties and the Resistance or, at worst, embrace the Dark Side again. Someone will travel with him, someone who… who stands a fighting chance against him."

"Me," Rey didn't have to ask, she already knew no one else could come close to his Force abilities. "For how long? Will we ever return h—"

She trailed off, the word 'home' resting on her lips. This base was her home now, she realized suddenly and unexpectedly. The Resistance was her family.

"Yes, you would check in with us often," Poe answered quickly. "As to how long… every year this council would convene to consider Ky— Solo's actions. When we determine that he has put as much good into the world as he did evil, he would be free."

"And if I want to stay here, with you?" Rey asked, fearing their answer would confirm her suspicions.

It did.

"Then vote for his execution," Finn said simply.

"This decision was not easy, Rey. We considered many options," Poe added. "These were the best solutions we could find. You understand that we can't just set him free."

Rey nodded and inhaled deeply. She had no choice. Traveling the Galaxy with Ben Solo, fighting the First Order side by side, freeing the enslaved, occasionally popping in for a visit with Poe, Finn, and the droids before heading out again. It wasn't a bad fate at all, but she wished they had afforded her the freedom to choose it.

"My vote is to free Ben Solo," she announced in an unwavering voice, surprising no one with her decision. "I accept the terms of his release and will travel with him on his journey for redemption."

Before the words were fully spoken, Andre had jumped from his seat and slammed his open palms on the table. The sound echoed through the otherwise quiet room, making Finn jump and BB-8 beep angrily.

"I hope you enjoy bedding down with that monster, little girl. When your blindness to his true nature costs is even more lives, I will be waiting to accept your apology."

Rey stood too, bristling at his tone and taunt.

"When we have played our role in bringing peace to the Galaxy, I will be expecting yours," she shot back.

Andre spat at her, the liquid landing just short of her hands before turning to leave. He was followed closely by three others.

"Then it is decided," Poe said in an emotionless voice, that meant he was barely controlling his anger. "Lando and Chewie return with the Falcon tonight. Tomorrow morning you and Ben will take the ship and leave. Finn, let's find some planets for them to start on and chart their course. Everyone else, thank you for being here. You may return to your other duties or your homes until the next Council convenes."

Slowly, the room cleared, leaving only Rey, Finn, Poe, and three droids.

"Master Finn. Master Poe. If I may make a suggestion?" C3PO asked, then continued without waiting for permission. "R2 and I are quite familiar with the Millennium Falcon, and we may be able to be of some assistance."

R2 beeped happily, while BB-8's head slumped slightly downward. The two droids spoke quietly in their own computerized language while the humans and 3PO looked on. Besides Finn, they all understood the strange conversation well enough to know the droids were talking about missing each other.

"I do think taking a droid is a good idea," Poe agreed when they had finished conversing.

"It would be my honor to have you both as our companions," Rey smiled at the two droids who had served as companions to both her Master's for so long. "And BB-8, you have D-O to take care of. Not to mention Finn and Poe."

The droid beeped.

"BB-8 says… well, I'm not sure if I should say."

"Probably a good idea," Poe muttered as he stood up, already knowing what his droid had said. "Rey and Solo can take R2 and 3PO. You should go tell baby-Porg-eyes to get ready for a quick departure."

"Baby-Porg-eyes?"

"Yeah the eyes he makes whenever you come up, all big and sad like a Baby Porg," Poe answered.

"Oh," Rey answered, then smirked. "Like the eyes you make whenever you see Finn?"

"No!" Poe and Finn both protested immediately, sharing a glance that would have gone unnoticed by someone less perceptive.

"I am so glad you noticed that also," C3PO said with delight. "I was beginning to think I had gone completely mad."

"You have," the two men answered in unison.

Rey only smiled. It didn't take Jedi mind tricks to see what was developing between the two Generals. Funnily enough, they thought the same about her and Ben Solo.

* * *

**What do you all think? Leave a review and let me know! A new chapter is coming soon (and also maybe a new story, we'll see). Have a great weekend!**


	5. Chapter 5

**I am still here and still busy with school. But here's a nice cute chapter to tide you over until I can update again. Once February is over, I'll have some more time.**

* * *

The news of Ben Solo's conditional freedom spread like wildfire through the Resistance. Rey was pleasantly surprised that most people seemed to understand the Council's decision, even if they didn't agree with it. Less surprising were those who outright hated the idea, and though most stewed silently, a few were bold enough to voice their outrage to Rey and the two Generals.

Ben stared at Rey's flustered appearance as she walked into his room. Her hair was pulled up into the triple bun style he was accustomed to seeing, but several strands had pulled loose to frame her harried eyes and red cheeks.

"We're leaving. First thing in the morning. You should pack," she said simply, refusing eye-contact.

He stood in the corner of the room with arms crossed as he flicked his eyes over her. Every bit of her seemed tense, and he tried with no success to push his way into her thoughts.

"What did the council s—"

"That we're leaving," Rey interrupted brusquely.

It was a voice he hadn't heard since their bond had first emerged, one full of pent up rage. It was the tone she had used the day she called him a monster, and he wondered if that was how she saw him now. He sifted through his mind, remembering nothing he had done since arriving that would justify such harshness. Perhaps she'd merely remembered who he was before.

Rey continued staring at him with hard eyes at first, but they slowly softened as she sat on the edge of his bed. Ben took that as an invitation and cautiously sat next to her with his hands folded in front of him. His thumb rubbed the palm of his hand anxiously.

"The Council will allow you to make amends by traveling the Galaxy and repairing the damage the First Order caused… and I'm to go with you."

"And you don't want to?" He murmured, realizing why she was so angry.

His punishment would harm her too, drag her away from the people she cared about.

"No! I do, it's just I'm leaving my friends…" she answered quickly. "And now people are…"

Ben waited for her to continue, but after a moment realized she was going to say nothing more. Finally, he glanced up from his hands. Rey was biting down on her lip, hard enough that it was turning white as her face shook, whether with anger or sadness he could not tell. Without thinking, he reached over and nudged her lower lip with his thumb to free it. His hand hovered over her cheek for a moment before he regained his senses and let it fall at his side.

Rey looked over at him and sighed heavily.

"They're calling me a t-traitor, saying I only want you free because you're controlling me."

"You want their respect," He said reassuringly. "I understand."

"No," Rey wiped her eyes and sat up. "I don't care what they think about me. But saying that I am too young, too untrained to make a wise decision… it disrespects Lu- the Jedi's who trained me."

"Luke?" Ben asked, completely deadpan.

"And Leia."

When Ben showed no reaction to his mother's name, Rey stood.

"We leave at dawn. Make sure you're ready."

He nodded, and she drew in one steadying breath before walking out of the room to face the Resistance once again.

The moment the door slid shut behind her, the fragile composure he had barely been keeping together for days shattered, and he crumpled over. He grabbed a handful of hair in each hand and screamed silently at his boots, their blackness a stark contrast to the pure white floor beneath them.

Leia and Han were gone… they would never know that their son had pulled himself away from the Dark Side. Luke, his first Master and arguably his best, was dead too. He wished only that they could speak only once more to understand what truly happened that night. Rey, the one being who seemed to think he was worth anything, was being forced away from the only family she'd ever known to save him. The rest of the Galaxy hated Kylo Ren, the monster who had destroyed entire planets and slaughtered countless other beings trying to make another monster proud of him, trying to make himself respected.

_You have been given another chance, young Solo. Prove to them that Ben Solo is not the monster Kylo Ren was. Prove it to yourself._

Ben whipped his head around sending his hair flying as he searched the room for the voice.

_Rey will help you, Ben. She can teach you to balance the Dark and Light as she does._

There was no one physically present in the room with him, but when he reached out with the Force, he could sense other presences. Some he knew at once, some only through legends.

_Teach her much also, you will. Yes. Learn together, you must._

_Live your vision. It is your future if you embrace it._

_Do not make my mistakes; learn from them. Find balance… with the Force and with your love._

"Grandfather?" Ben called. "Grandfather, I don't know how. I don't know what balance feels like!"

The ghosts didn't respond. They had no more wisdom to offer the last Skywalker. The next steps were his to take with Rey at his side. It was the last Jedi who would have to help him save himself.

* * *

The dyad said nothing to each other the entire morning. They took off in unnerving quiet with C-3PO and R2-D2 chattering in the background. It took longer than expected to make minor repairs and for Rey to say goodbye. There had been quick hugs exchanged between Rey, Finn, Poe, Lando, and Chewie before they left. The Wookie even had a parting hug for Ben, something that made him distinctly uncomfortable. All he could think for the tense few minutes was the horrifying feeling of stabbing Han and watching him fall from the bridge. The disappointment on his father's face was burned behind his eyes. It haunted him.

Rey was a skilled pilot, Ben decided as he watched her expertly maneuver the Falcon out of Ajan Kloss's atmosphere and enter hyperdrive. It was midday by the time they took off.

Though Ben occupied the co-pilot's seat, his partner was flying the ship on her own. The droids were organizing the group's supplies and cleaning. Judging by R2's delighted beeps, this was the best condition Han Solo's ship had been in for a long time.

After what felt like ages of sitting in stifling silence, Rey brought them out of hyperdrive near an unfamiliar planet.

"Where are we?" Ben asked, finally breaking the silence.

He felt entirely out of control, and it was not something he particularly enjoyed.

Rey flicked on autopilot before turning to face him with a broad smile that reached every part of her face. It was a look of pure joy that he had never seen on her face, probably because she had never worn it before. He blinked at her in confusion.

"Th- this is…" Her voice trembled and eyes filled with tears yet again.

Ben could only stare at her, confused at how a single person could express so much at one time. How could someone cry and smile simultaneously, he wondered to himself watching a tear escape down her cheek.

"This is Lothal," she finally managed to whisper, barely loud enough to be audible. "According to legend, there are still Kyber crystals on the most remote parts of the planet."

Rey's joy made sense to Ben now. For generations, every young Jedi dreamed of the day they would seek out their own crystal to forge their saber. Of course, she would be no different. His own crystal had been badly damaged and terrifyingly unstable, nonetheless, the pride of using something he built with his own two hands was indescribable.

"We have Luke and Leia's of course," Rey continued, wiping her eyes away and resuming her usual business-like manner. "I've just never… well, I want something of my own."

She cleared this brief detour with Poe the night before, impressing on him her need for her own weapon.

"You should search for a crystal too, Ben," Rey added with a smile.

He looked down at the leather bag between them where his family's lightsabers were stored, wondering if that legacy was something he was prepared to shoulder or if would destroy him again. It didn't matter, he realized after a moment. Nothing he could do would make him worthy of carrying on the Skywalker legacy.

* * *

The Falcon landed on a remote part of Lothal where the ruins abandoned factories from the days of the Galactic empire marred the otherwise beautiful landscape. It was dusk by the time they arrived, too late for the travelers to safely explore the unfamiliar landscape.

"We'll sleep here tonight and head out tomorrow. R2, 3PO, you'll both stay here to watch over the ship and radio if anything goes wrong," Rey announced, standing up and stretching. "Ben, I'll show you where the quarters are. We—"

"I know where they are," he replied brusquely, standing himself and walking quickly out of the cockpit.

"It seems that young Master Solo is in quite a mood," 3PO said exactly what she was thinking.

The two humans were on strange ground. Both had started actively blocking their Force bond, unsure how to exist in the same physical space comfortably. Ben was obviously tense being on his late father's ship, and Rey felt guilty for not thinking about that before. Meanwhile, Rey was replaying how gently he had touched her face, wondering exactly what that meant. The feeling of his thumb lingered on her lower lip. Poe's comment about baby-Porg-eyes only made her more confused.

What were they? A dyad in the Force, Rey answered her own question as she stared at down the hallway. But what did that make them? Friends… or perhaps something more than friends?

A series of dizzying beeps from R2 brought Rey's thoughts back to the present.

"R2! That is absolutely none of your concern. Furthermore, it is completely inappropriate for you to even consider," 3PO sounded completely aghast.

"I made myself a bed in the main hold before we left, so no, we will not be sharing a room," Rey answered, chuckling. "I do appreciate your concern."

She tapped the top of the droid gently and made her way to her own sleeping space, unaware that in a few short hours everything between her and Ben Solo was going to change.

* * *

**Please leave a review if you enjoyed it! Thank you for all the favs, follows, and reviews, they're really awesome to get! I also posted this story on AO3 if you prefer to read on that platform; my pen name is Aurora521 there as well. The last thing, please follow my Tumblr Aurora521 for sneak peeks of future chapters and stories. It's also a great place to get notified of story updates.**


	6. Chapter 6

**I am still here; sorry for the long delay in updates. The good news is I have a lot of free time while I'm stuck in my house, so I'll be trying to get updates out more frequently. I hope all of you are doing well and staying safe! I'm sure everyone is going through a lot right now, so I hope that somehow this update is able to make you a little happier.**

* * *

Kylo Ren closed a sweaty palm around the hilt of his lightsaber, steadying his trembling hand against the comforting familiarity of the metal weapon secured to his belt. He looked down at the girl kneeling in front of him. A fine layer of dirt and sweat coated her face, and loose strands of hair clung to her damp skin as she stared back at him with wide eyes.

"Ben," she whispered in a raspy voice. "You don't have to do this."

"Strike her down, my young apprentice and embrace your destiny. The girl pulls you to the light… Destroy her!" Snoke hissed.

The words pierced through Kylo's mind even as they echoed in his ears, leaving him no choice but to obey the monster he called his Master.

Slowly, he freed the saber hilt from his belt and held it in front of him. His arm was steady, though he was unsure how he maintained the calm façade. The young woman in front of him had no control of her emotions. Her eyes filled with defiance and something he could only describe as pity. The feeling emanated from her, and the black clad figure wondered how someone about to be executed could feel anything but pure hatred for the executioner.

"Make me proud, young Sith," Snoke ordered, growing more impatient.

Kylo Ren's gloved hand moved of its own volition, leveling the saber at the woman's chest and thumbing the switch to ignite the unstable red blade. He flinched violently as the blade pierced just beneath the girl's heart. Surprise flashed across her face as she looked down at the glowing red light piercing her side.

The memory of another face twisted in such a similar expression of disbelief flashed in front of him. His father's face. The world seemed to move in slow motion as he powered off the blade and stared down at the girl with an expression that he was sure mirrored hers.

It was too late; the damage had been done. Three simultaneous sounds shattered the quiet of the room. First was Snoke's joyous laughter, then the lightsaber's hilt falling to the ground, and finally the girl's ragged gasp as she clutched her side and looked down at her charred clothes and skin.

"No… Rey, no!" Kylo murmured, falling hard to his knees even as she slumped forward to catch her against his broad chest.

"It's… it's okay," she reassured him even as she gasped for air that refused to stay in her small body.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, Rey. I- I'm sorry."

"Ben, look at me," she said quietly, and then more insistently. "Ben. Ben! It's okay. You're okay. Wake up… it's just a dream."

Ben ran his fingers through Rey's hair, staring at her blank, lifeless eyes. This was no dream, it was a nightmare from which he could never escape.

Her hand pressed to his cheek, and she brushed his hair aside gently.

"I'm here, Ben. Wake up!"

* * *

Rey slipped into sleep quickly, exhausted from a long day of goodbyes, flying, and trying to ignore her traveling partner. She thought about Ben as she lay in the makeshift bed. The change she'd seen in him since the full strength of their bond had been realized continued; the Dark side no longer pulled him so powerfully. He wanted redemption, and she wanted it for him. The bond on the other hand… it seemed to be by some unspoken agreement they both began to actively suppress their uncanny insight into each other's minds.

For Rey, it was because Ben's emotions were too raw and untamed for her to handle with her own. They mixed together until there were times she couldn't tell where her feelings stopped and his began. She suspected Ben experienced the same confusion when their combined thoughts ran rampant through his head.

Perhaps it was the Force or Jedi ghosts meddling, perhaps it was the young Jedi thinking of Ben as she drifted off, or perhaps just the unguardedness of sleep that allowed their connection to surface again. Rey was sleeping soundly when her skin began to prickle, the hair on the back of her neck rising. She jolted awake, flooded with panic, grief, and regret. It took several long moments to realize the feelings were not her own.

She leaped out of her makeshift bed, running before her feet hit the ground. Something was wrong.

Ben was sleeping fitfully in the bed that had been Chewie's when she found him. His muscles were pulled taut, jaw clenched, and neck straining. He whispered to himself, so quietly Rey could barely make out what he was saying.

"I'm so sorry, Rey. I- I'm sorry."

"Ben, look at me," she demanded, climbing into the bed to kneel at his side.

He thrashed, not violently, but enough to nearly knock Rey to the floor. The fighting instincts in Rey took over, and she secured one of his legs beneath her and laid heavily across his chest. Ben was much larger than her and could probably throw her off easily had he been conscious.

"Ben. Ben! It's okay. You're okay. Wake up… it's just a dream," she whispered to him with her face only inches from his own.

Their noses almost touched as she pushed his hair, damp with sweat, out of his face. Rey took his face between her hands and held him firmly. Using the Force, she pushed her own consciousness into his scattered mind in an attempt to free him from whatever nightmare had taken hold of him.

"I'm right here, Ben. Wake up!" Rey said with her voice and thoughts.

His eyes snapped open. Rey sighed and retreated from his mind as his panic subsided allowing her to close herself off from the bond again. She didn't move from her spot atop him, unsure what he would do next. He didn't push her away. Even when her head dropped and their foreheads pressed together, neither moved, continuing to take deep heaving breaths.

When Ben began to tremble and eventually sob, she said nothing. When Rey moved to lay next to him, he said nothing. When she opened her arms and he accepted the silent invitation, burying his face in her neck as she held him tightly, they said nothing. And when they woke together the next morning, with Ben curled against Rey's chest and her arms still securely wrapped around him, they didn't need to say anything to know that something had changed.

* * *

The dyad set out just after sunrise to explore the ruins. They didn't speak. Neither knew what to say or if they were supposed to acknowledge the events of last night, worried that talking about it would give it life.

As planned, they left the two droids guarding the ship. It was about the only thing that would go as planned that day. As soon as the door closed, R2 turned to his companion and began to beep rapidly.

"You saw what?" 3PO answered, completely aghast.

R2 beeped some more, this time slower.

"I heard you the first time!" The other droid interrupted. "It's only that I don't believe you. And even if this outrageous story is true, you shouldn't be spying on Master Rey in the middle of the night!"

Another beep, this one a question.

"What… no! Of course, that doesn't mean you can spy on her during the day! You shouldn't be spying at all. In fact, I don't even know why they brought a droid as useless as you along."

R2 whirred loudly, and 3PO huffed.

"I am not useless. I can speak over— R2! Come back here! I wasn't done talking to you."

C-3PO hustled after his friend, muttering under his breath as he did.

"Peeking into sleeping quarters at night… unbelievable!"

* * *

**It's kind of short, but hopefully, there was enough action in there to keep you guys happy for a little bit longer.**

**As always, please review. I could really use some communication with the outside world! Also, how would everyone feel about some Reylo one-shots and maybe a full-length semi-au fic? I'm debating if I want to clean and publish some stuff I have written. ****Some of it is kind of dark, so it may only be posted on AO3.**


	7. Chapter 7

**Oof. That took a long time to write. Like a lot of people, I'm struggling to be productive during quarantine and working through some of my own mental health difficulties right now. I sincerely hope all of you are doing well, staying safe, and taking care of yourself as best you can. **

**Hope this brings some happiness to you.**

* * *

The dyad was sitting in the greenest field they could find, the dull brown color of the grass still a far cry from the luscious greens of Ajan Kloss. Skeletons of a long-dead monster that had bled the planet for all it was worth decayed around them. Abandoned factories crumbled, scorched Earth struggled to find new life, and often the air reeked of noxious chemicals.

Ben was watching Rey meditate from his spot a dozen yards away. He was supposed to be doing the same to find his own Kyber Crystal, but his mind felt like it had been fractured into a million pieces that didn't quite fit back together. He kept remembering the strange and comforting feeling of waking up with Rey's much smaller form wrapped around him. Even in his sleep, her presence lent him a sense of comfort and warmth that no one else had ever provided.

Carefully, he tested their bond, trying to find a way inside her mind, but it was as sealed off as tightly as it had been before last night. Defeated, he retreated into his own mind when something that felt like a bolt of lightning sizzled through their connection, making them both jump to their feet.

"What the hell was that?" Ben snapped.

He reached for his lightsaber and found only a blaster. Not his preferred weapon, but it would do.

"I found it," Rey answered, staring at the ground in awe. "It's down there. So deep even the Empire couldn't find it."

"That was fast," he replied, walking over to her and holstering his weapon.

"I had help," she whispered back, distractedly.

Rey knelt on the ground and pressed her palms to the ground in front of her, eyes shut tight. Ben sensed the presence of the Jedi surrounding her as their powers combined with her own into a single concentrated Force energy. Raising a crystal from so deep would take more strength than a single Jedi contained, and though Ben was not helping her, he could feel the raw power of the Force surrounding them. For a moment, he could almost feel the crystal breaking lose from the stone encasing it.

After what seemed like hours, but really was only a few minutes, the ground under Rey's hands shifted and a small golden crystal emerged to sit on the grass between her hands. She picked it up, in awe of the energy flowing through the tiny gem.

Ben looked at it, then at Rey, then back at the crystal. Eyes widening, he backed away from her, nearly tripping over a patch of weeds in his haste to get away. He turned and ran, the memory of his own crystal was burned in his mind. He'd clenched the blue stone until it had fractured and bled red in his grip.

"A Jedi needs a weapon."

He whirled around, trying to find the source of the unfamiliar voice. The sound seemed to come from all around him, or perhaps from within him.

"I'm not a Jedi," he protested.

"Are you sure?"

"I- I've fallen to the Dark Side before. The Dark lives in me. I cannot be a Jedi."

"A wise master once told me that only a Sith deals in absolutes," another voice spoke, this one familiar.

"Well my wise Master told me that a Jedi must destroy their darkness or be overcome by it," Ben spat out, still searching for the disembodied voices.

"My son was not often wrong, but he too fell victim to the misguided teachings of a Jedi Order that feared their own darkness so much they could not find balance."

"Grandfather," Ben breathed, finally standing still as he recognized the second voice.

"All Jedi feel the pull to the Dark Side. Fearing it only gives it power. How can you expect to bring balance to the galaxy if you cannot even bring balance to yourself, Grandson?"

"Together, you and Rey are destined for great things. Your dyad was created for a reason. Stop fighting it," the first voice added. "You need each other."

"Who are you?" Ben demanded.

"Your namesake."

"I don't know who that is!"

"Ben," Anakin's voice called. "I am sorry. I should have tried harder to reach you long ago."

"You did reach me, Grandfather. Many times, but you told me… you…" Ben trailed off.

He felt like his heart had been dunked into icy water, as he finally realized that he had never spoken to his real Grandfather.

"Palpatine reached you many times… with my voice."

"Ben!" Rey yelled.

He barely heard her, entirely consumed by the heavy feelings of disappointment, confusion, and grief.

"Something is coming, and the two of you must go," the unknown voice said urgently.

"Ben," Anakin continued. "I want you to have my saber… Anakin's saber."

"Anakin! Something is coming. It's not safe for them here!"

"Ben! Something is wrong! Ben!" Rey shouted.

She was ignored again.

"I don't deserve Anakin's saber," Ben screamed

Rage, like he hadn't felt since wearing the persona of Kylo Ren, bubbled inside him.

"Very few people get what they deserve?" Anakin replied calmly.

"Anakin!"

"Ben! We have to go!"

"That was the last crystal on this planet, and Master Kenobi is right, you need a weapon. Take my saber and your mother's. They were made to be used, not sit on a ship gathering dust. The Skywalker legacy is yours now, Ben Solo, to make what you want of it… with her."

"Ben! What are you doing? We have to get back to the ship!"

Rey's shouts were growing louder and more urgent.

"Promise you'll use them."

"Anakin!"

"Promise me!"

"Fine, I promise!"

"I am proud of you Grandson. You are stronger than I ever was. Now run."

And with that, the two presences drifted away like a smell caught in a soft breeze, present for a moment but gone before it could be fully recognized. A small hand grabbing his and yanking hard drew him back to the present.

"Run!" Rey demanded, pulling him along behind her.

It took two of her strides to match one of his. She had no idea who he had been talking to, but she had her suspicions. Though hesitant to interrupt his connection with the Force ghosts, whatever Dark presence had been touching the edge of her mind since their arrival was approaching and approaching fast.

"Rey! Why are we running?" Ben panted.

"Don't you feel that?"

"What!?"

"Never mind! Just get back to the ship!"

So, he ran, trying to employ the Force to sense whatever had Rey so spooked. It was darkness unlike any he'd sensed before. More chaotic and unpredictable than evil.

"Rey-"

"I don't know what they are!" She shouted, panting as she sprinted. "But I have a bad feeling about it."

By the time they arrived at the Falcon, both were drenched in sweat and panting hard. Neither could see the threat, but they could both sense it closing in on them. Rey jumped into the pilot seat, leaving Ben's large form hovering just outside the cockpit.

"3PO! R2! Get ready to fly!" Rey shouted, flipping switches and firing up the engines. "Ben, I need a co-pilot for take-off so get in that seat."

He didn't move, just stared at the seat. As a child, he had sat there many times watching his father go through the same motions as Rey. Now it felt like a different life. He had been so excited when Han let him flip the hyperdrive switch. All under Chewbacca's close supervision, of course.

"Ben!" Rey's shouting dragged him out of the memory. "I promise we will come back and find your crystal, but right now we need to go!"

He sighed and tried to steady himself as he sat down and began going through the strangely familiar process. After the Millennium Falcon had lifted off and Rey piloted them out of the atmosphere, she breathed an audible sigh of relief and slumped back in the pilot's chair.

Her co-pilot was breathing heavily, eyes shut tight. The muscles around his mouth twitched and his chest heaved. Without thinking, Rey reached out and touched his knee cautiously. His eyes shot open, and he turned to look at her.

"I'm sorry about your crystal. We'll go back or find somewhere else," she murmured, removing her own crystal from the pocket of her pants and setting the yellow stone on the dash in front of them.

"That's not- I-,"

Rey gasped, pulling her hand back as pain shot through her head. It felt like a dam breaking in her brain, flooding her with emotions that were not her own.

"Rey?"

She bit into her bottom lip, struggling to control Ben's feelings that were pouring through the now open Force bond.

"Fuck, Rey. I'm sorry," Ben inhaled sharply, clenching his fist and shutting himself back in his own head. "I didn't mean to."

"It's okay," she whispered with a heavy exhale. "This isn't about the crystal is it?"  
"No."

"It's about your father?"

"Yes," he answered, still staring straight ahead. "And I don't want a crystal."

"You need a saber," Rey protested.

"I already have one."

She looked over at him curiously, slowly piecing together the events of the day and who had been speaking with Ben.

"I spoke to my Grandfather, and someone he called Master Kenobi. Anakin wanted me to have his saber… and my mother's."

Rey smiled and reached for the bag that contained the two weapons. She set it in Ben's lap, and he took it slowly, nervously. Their fingers brushed for the briefest moment. Both were aware of the contact but pretended not to notice, just like they would pretend they hadn't woken up together a few long hours ago.

* * *

**I plan to update in the next week and try to get a little more regular. I am starting a new job soon, but the semester will be over, so we'll see. I also published a new story that is much darker than this one. If that interests you, feel free to check it out, but please check the warnings since it does deal with some sensitive content.**

**Also, follow my Tumblr (aurora521) for updates and sneak peeks of new chapters and stories.**


	8. Chapter 8

**I wanted so bad to have this out for May 4th, but I ended up writing my other fic instead. If you're looking for a darker Reylo story, you should check that out, but please heed the warnings!**

**Anyway, here you go!**

* * *

"General Dameron to the Millennium Falcon. Dameron to the Millennium Falcon. Rey, do you copy?"

Ben had dozed off in the pilot seat, his large body twisted uncomfortably as he slept. He stirred as the voice and radio static came through the coms loudly.

"This is Ben," he answered in a voice deep with sleep.

"Is Rey there?"

"One minute."

He stood and stretched his large body as best he could in the tight space. His neck ached and cracked as he turned his head.

When he found Rey, she was sitting at the table fiddling with a hilt she had been constructing for the last four days. Since their abrupt departure from Lothal, they'd been flying aimlessly waiting for orders from Poe and Finn. They slept in shifts under the guise that it would allow someone to keep the ship steady and lookout for any remaining First Order hostiles. R2-D2 and C-3PO could have handled both jobs easily, but neither half of the dyad wanted to be asleep at the same time. As long as one of them was awake, their connection remained shut.

"Rey," Ben called hovering in the doorway. "Dameron is calling in."

"R2, can you try the hologram?" Rey asked, not looking up from her miniature engineering project.

R2 beeped and pulled up the hologram. Poe, Finn, and Rose were sitting around a table that was stacked high with maps and papers. Their images flickered, but mostly the tech seemed to be working.

"Rey!" They trio exclaimed together.

Rey nodded to Ben to come into view, and he sat down next to her. There was enough space for at least two Wookies to fit between them. Finn and Poe glanced at each other knowingly when they noticed the separation, and Rose chuckled to herself.

"Did you find the crystals?" Finn asked excitedly.

Rey grinned and held up her half-constructed saber hilt and the yellow stone as an answer.

"And Ben?"

"It's taken care of," he answered shortly, touching the two sabers that hung on his belt as if to make sure they were still there.

"Uh, okay," Poe raised his eyebrows as he dragged the word out. "Anyway, we have your first mission. Finn."

"You're going to the planet Catonica. There's a city there called Canto Bight. Rose and I went on a- a…" Finn trailed off and glanced over at Rose for help.

"An unsanctioned, dangerous, and mostly unsuccessful mission," she offered with a grimace.

"Yeah, that. Canto Bight is the main hub of the planet. It's a huge gambling town frequented by arms dealers, gamblers, and war profiteers all propped up on the backs of enslaved children."

Ben's eyes lowered and his lips tightened. Before a few seconds ago, he had never heard of Canto Bight. Still, as Snoke's tool and eventually Supreme Leader, he'd been complicit in the creation and maintenance of it and thousands of other towns like it. Rey moved to touch his leg, but her hand froze in midair and she retracted it quickly. R2 beeped excitedly.

"This is not the time for your unwanted commentary," C-3PO chastised quietly, but not quietly enough.

"You should keep that in mind every time you talk, 3PO," Poe jabbed back, earning a disgruntled huff from the aforementioned droid.

"Anyway," Rose butted in. "There's massive wealth in Canto Bight, but the nearby town is basically treated like a farm by the city. The government steals children and uses them as free labor. We want to set those kids free, return them to their homes or somewhere safe, and institute a noncorrupt government."

"What we want you two to do is get into the city and evacuate the kids and anyone else who has been enslaved to the town," Poe explained.

"Also, the fathiers," Rose interrupted.

Finn smiled at that.

"Yes, and the fathiers," Poe agreed. "We'd like to do this without violence. Hopefully, their government leaders will step down without a fight once the Resistance arrives, but we aren't optimistic about that, unfortunately. So while Resistance fighters storm the city you two will guard the kids and townsfolk to make sure no harm comes to them."

"Once the current leaders are ousted, Lando Calrissian will be ruin charge of rebuilding Canto Bight and instituting a democratic government and fair laws," Finn said.

"Laws that don't allow the enslavement of anyone."

Rey had to smile at the passion behind every word Rose spoke. This plan was obviously of her making. Frankly, it was a good one that showed all the attention to detail required of an engineer.

"Contact us as soon as you land, and our team will be ready as soon as you give the all-clear that the children are out."

Rey nodded her understanding, while Ben continued to sit in stony silence beside her.

"I'm sending you all the intelligence we have about the planet," Rose said with a smile. "May the Force be with you."

* * *

Ben Solo was napping, this time comfortably in his bed when Rey piloted them into Catonica's atmosphere. As the Falcon dipped below the clouds, the lights of the city below came into view. Even in the bright light of the setting sun, the city emitted a festive glow, and the young Jedi had to remind herself that such brightness was only possible against the deep blackness of greed and corruption. From high above, she could make out the track where fathiers were running. It would be one of the last races they would ever be forced into.

"R2!" She called over her shoulder. "Send a message to the Resistance. Tell them we have arrived and will have everyone out by Catonica's sunrise in eleven hours. 3PO, wake up Ben, please. Tell him we're here."

She landed the Falcon just North of the gilded city in a field where the ship could remain unnoticed. To the East lay the dirty and destitute village from which most of the slave children had been stolen.

A now awake and alert Ben waited for her in the main hold, dressed in clothes that had to have been Han's. Rey stared at him, realizing again just how similar the two men really were. Ben had spent so long hiding the traits that so resembled his father and mother, that unless someone looked closely, he seemed to be entirely removed from his family. He couldn't hide it from Rey though.

"You should take this."

He held out Leia's lightsaber. Rey hadn't completed hers yet. There were a few pieces missing that she was hoping to scavenge here.

"Thank you."

He held onto the weapon just a moment too long, allowing their fingers to brush against each other. Their eyes met, and for a second, their minds clashed together in an uncontrollable storm of incomprehensible emotions that faded the moment it began.

"We'll go at sunset," Rey blurted out, dropping her hand quickly. "Rose said they run the last race at sunset. After that, all the children are locked in stables with their fathier. She thinks that's the best time to sneak in unnoticed."

Ben stared down, towering over her. His mind was still heavy with the knowledge that the only reason they were here was because of his decision to become Kylo Ren. He watched as Rey blinked slowly and looked up at him.

"This isn't your fault," she said quietly.

The man's mouth moved but no words came out as he stared at Rey with a knitted brow.

"Get out of my head," he finally rasped in a trembling voice.

"We're going to need the bond tonight, Ben. Tonight, and for every mission we run after this. I think…" she paused and swallowed. "I think we have to learn to control it."

Ben's hands clenched into fists, but he knew Rey was right. Switching sleep schedules, blocking each other out, avoiding any physical contact, it was all exhausting. He nodded reluctantly, remembering what the Force Ghosts told him about the necessity of their connection.

"Alright."

Rey was pleasantly surprised at how easily he agreed.

"Well, there's no time like the present," Ben muttered.

Carefully, nervously, they slowly began to pull down the barriers built around their minds as they stared at each other. Their minds melded together, at first intensely and painful enough that Rey gasped softly and lowered herself to the floor. Ben grunted and stumbled a bit but remained upright. It took a few minutes, but soon they both seemed to have control.

"I don't want you invading my feelings all the time," Ben said firmly.

"And I don't want you reading my every thought," Rey shot back.

"So, we agree then? We use it when needed, nothing more."

Rey nodded and stood to look her partner in the eyes, not forgetting the feelings of guilt that had surged through Ben and into her moments ago.

"You are not solely responsible for the evil of the First Order."

He drew in a sharp breath and spoke softly.

"I led the First Order, Rey."

"You're right. I didn't say you're entirely innocent. That's why we're here though, to start making things right."

Ben's eyes shut, and he tilted his head back to sigh. He knew she was right, but it didn't take away the guilt that was clawing at his chest, making it ache every with passing second as he asked himself if he could ever truly atone for his actions as Kylo Ren. Palpatine's dark whisperings that had once overwhelmed his young mind died with the Emperor, but it left Ben with only his own thoughts and memories to ruminate over day in and day out.

"Ben," Rey's voice drew him from his thoughts.

She closed the distance between them and took both his large hands in her smaller ones, looking up at him earnestly as she did.

"You can't live in the past, only learn from it."

* * *

**Next chapter will be up in the next few days, at least that's my plan. It has some more action, and then things are gonna start to get going romantically so be prepared for cuteness and fluff.**

**As always, review, follow, and favorite, and more importantly, please stay safe!**


	9. Chapter 9

**Oof, this took so long, but here it is! Thank you for all the reviews! They are very inspirational and make me so happy. For those of you who enjoy the droids, this should be a good chapter for you.**

* * *

The two Jedi and two droids strolled into Canto Bight just as the last rays of sunlight had faded from the sky. The city was its own small sun, with shining bright lights that made it difficult for the group to remain unnoticed. It should have been easy to blend into the crowd, but 3PO's reflective metal form drew unwanted attention from several parties. The two Jedi had robed themselves in long black cloaks with large hoods, mostly to hide Ben's face. It was unclear if the former Supreme Leader would be recognized without his signature mask, but they agreed it was better not to take the chance, especially amongst arms dealers who had traded with the First Order.

Gaining admittance into the casino was easy, though Rey did use the Force to help convince security that the droids would not be used to help them cheat, which technically was the truth. The building's security had understandably been tightened since Rose and Finn's visit, which made getting to the stables a real challenge. According to Rose's files, most of the children were housed there, while a few of the younger ones stayed in a small shed nearby until they were old and large enough to care for a fathier themselves.

Ben strolled through the casino confidently, much more at ease than Rey in such a high-class establishment. He was accustomed to diplomatic events from childhood and his time in the First Order, and he blended easily into the rich fabric of the city. Rey whose primary life experiences were scavenging, living in a hut on an island, and operating from ragtag Resistance bases felt a distinct sense of unease as they walked side by side through the building, looking for any way to access the bottom floor without raising alarm.

"R2! Come back here at once, this is no time for your silly antics!" C-3PO called as his partner wandered away way to investigate a nearby machine.

Rey and Ben looked at each other but let them go, deciding they might move faster without 3PO's nervous chatter.

"Ben," Rey finally said, his name lost in the loudness of the room.

She grabbed his arm to get his attention and nodded to a service elevator where two casino workers were standing. One punched a code into the panel outside of it. Ben used the Force to touch the edges of the woman's mind, carefully extracting the numbers before retreating and leaving her none the wiser.

"R2! 3PO!" Rey shouted over the din of voices and clanging of coins, waving to them and trying to be subtle.

They finally noticed her and hurried over, R2 beeping indignantly as they approached.

"They tried to stick coins in you?" Rey looked confused.

"He has collected quite the fortune, but unfortunately, I received none," 3PO sighed.

"Free money," Ben interjected, already tired of this conversation. "As long as R2 can still move, let's go."

That droid had been a constant presence when he was training with Luke Skywalker, and the R2 unit was one of the most resilient droids he had ever seen. A few coins wouldn't hurt him one bit.

Now that the group of workers was gone, they moved to the elevator, and Ben typed in the code he pulled from the woman's mind. After a few tense minutes of waiting, the doors slid open and they boarded the elevator with relief.

Ben pulled his hood off the moment the doors clicked shut. He felt uncomfortable hiding his face; it reminded him of his past and Kylo Ren, of being a boy hiding behind a mask. Rey could sense his unease and touched his arm lightly to try to bring a small sense of comfort and remind him who he was now and that he was with her.

Ben hooded himself again as they disembarked the elevator into a dim hallway that seemed more like a cave than part of a building. The floor was packed dirt and electric lanterns were mounted in roughly hewn stone walls. R2 took off without any hesitation, though it wasn't as if there was another direction to go and beeped at the group to follow.

"We're moving just as quickly as we can," 3-PO protested loudly. "We can't all-"

Rey and Ben both shushed him simultaneously, knowing they were close to their goal. The tunnel rounded a bend, then opened suddenly into a ring of stables. The door to each stall was already shut for the night hiding an exploited fathier and enslaved child. They had also changed from what Rose had described, and now were solid dura-steel that covered every inch of the doorway and locked tightly into the walls.

"Find the override switch to open all these doors," Rey ordered the droids. "Quietly. There are guards wandering around, and after what Rose and Finn did, they'll be on alert for trouble."

R2 beeped quietly a few times.

"I beg your pardon?" 3-PO replied, utterly aghast. "I have no problem being inconspicuous. You-"

"Just go," Ben snapped, and they did. "Now what?"

Rey didn't answer. She had her eyes tightly shut as if she was listening for something, feeling for the slightest shimmer in the Force that she swore she felt for an instant. After a moment, she realized something was there, but barely noticeable beside the dyad's presence. She moved toward one of the doors, summoning her strength and pressed her hands to the cold metal willing it to move.

Ben watched her, in awe of the wild, untamed power that this young woman wielded. She drew from both sides of the Force, the energies swirling together into a Gray energy that finally moved the heavy metal. He wanted to help, but something held him back. It was fear, even if he didn't realize it, fear that if he used the strength of the Dark he would be sucked back into its depths, and this time, it would never relinquish its claim to him.

By the time the door was open enough to fit a person through, only a small crack, Rey was dripping sweat and flushed. If they couldn't open the doors, the droids would have to find an override switch.

Rey peered in to see a small boy sitting on the ground. He jumped up as her shadow fell on him but didn't move to sound any alarm as Rose had warned. Slowly, Rey pulled her hood back, keeping a close eye on the fathier chained beside him.

"We don't want to hurt you," she told him, reassuringly.

From just outside the door, Ben also sensed the Force shifting suddenly. It was not a violent motion but gentle like the flapping of a butterfly's wings. The small boy looked around Rey and at Ben.

"We're with the Resistance," Rey continued in a hushed voice, also feeling the small change. "We're going to take you home."

He didn't understand her language, but the word Resistance seemed to mean something. From his pocket, he produced a small ring and held it up, twirling the outside until the bright red symbol of rebellion appeared on it. This had to be the boy who had helped Finn and Rose escape.

"Did our friends give you that?"

He answered in a language Rey didn't recognize. Ben, however, did and replied from behind Rey. He was tall enough to peer over her head easily. The child nodded, grinning from ear to ear now as he seemed to realize this wasn't some sort of trick. He chattered in his language for a moment, while Ben listened closely.

"He says there are other kids, and he doesn't want them to be forgotten."

"Tell him we aren't leaving anyone behind."

Suddenly, a loud clicking disturbed the conversation. The sound echoed down the line of stalls, and then the grinding of metal gears whirred to life as all the doors slowly slid open. A moment later the sound of a piercing siren filled the air. Their time flying under the radar had officially run out.

"They actually did it," Ben whispered, mostly to himself.

The boy also seemed to realize what was happening and without a moment of hesitation unchained his fathier and led it into the hallway. From the now open stalls, small heads peeked out.

Rey was frozen. Looking around all she could see were dozens of children whose eyes so perfectly and horrifyingly reflected her younger self– young, lost, lonely, and small. Small and weak in an unforgiving world made only for the strong.

"He's telling them to… escape," he translated to Rey, not seeming to notice her discomfort, before turning back to the boy.

He spoke low, and his words were more stilted, less practiced than the child's, but the message was clear.

"He's going to lead them to the village."

"You should go," Rey replied, her gaze unfocused as if she wasn't really seeing the revolution unfolding around her. "I'll stay here to distract the guards and get the other kids. We can rendezvous at the village."

Her partner nodded, even though she could tell he wanted to argue. Objectively, while Rey was certainly skilled, Ben had much more training and was certainly the better fighter, but he was also the only one of them able to communicate with these children. Rey would have C-3PO to help her here.

Ben turned back to her suddenly.

"You feel it too, don't you?"

Those words snapped her back to the present, and she looked over at the small boy who was now mounting a fathier.

"We don't have time to deal with a Force-sensitive child right now. You need to go!" She replied, putting that conversation off at least for a few hours.

So he did, mounting the fathier with ease and riding behind the dozens of children, all sitting astride their own steeds, toward the village and out of Rey's sight.

"Master Rey! Help us!" 3PO called, running toward her with his stilted robotic motions while R2 trailed behind and beeped wildly.

"I'm sure she knows we activated the alarm!"

Rey drew Leia's saber, knowing that guards were not far behind the droids. She needed to buy Ben and the children as much time as possible, even though air forces would undoubtedly be in pursuit soon, if they weren't already.

A laser shot past her, missing her shoulder by a fraction of an inch, and she drew Leia's saber.

"The rest of the kids are over there!" She yelled and gestured toward the small building in the distance. "Go! I'll take care of this."

* * *

The boy, whose name Ben couldn't pick out from his quick speech and who seemed to have some Force sensitivity, led the group of runaways, while the Jedi trailed just behind waiting for an inevitable attack. Behind them, the whirring of some sort of small hovering craft grew louder and bright searchlights roamed the field. It took a few minutes, but finally, they were spotted.

The light stayed fixed on the small herd of fathiers, most of which were being ridden by the former slave children. They seemed to have a sort of unspoken camaraderie with the children, a deal that if the fathiers got the children to safety, they too would be free.

Ben drew his blaster and fired behind him, missing with every shot. Reaching for the Force, he fired again, this time not even looking back. Instead, he guided the lasers between the weakest parts of the metal.

A loud explosion behind them told him his efforts had paid off, but there was no time for celebration. Two more were closing in, but luckily it seemed that Rey was successfully fending off their ground forces. His second shot was also successful, destroying the second hovering ship easily. This one was closer to him though, and the shockwave of the explosion sent him tumbling from his steed to land in the soft grassy field. Fortunately, the grass cushioned his fall. Unfortunately, the animal he was riding didn't wait for him, leaving him behind as the herd continued on.

Ben watched as the whirring of the final ship passed over his head and fumbled for his blaster. He only needed one more shot, but it was nowhere to be found. He felt despair wash over him, when suddenly a familiar presence filled his mind, guiding him gently. Without thinking, he drew his Anakin's saber and hurled it through the air, leaving a bright blue glow against the dark sky. The man had never thrown a lightsaber, but somehow it worked and sliced the last ship in half, sending the sparking pieces of metal tumbling to the ground just behind the escapees.

He stood and immediately took off running after the fathiers and children, summoning his dropped weapons as he did.

"Keep going kid," he thought, sending the message toward the slight presence that was the child. "I'm right behind you."

* * *

Rey made short work of the guards, but others would be close behind. She took off running in the direction the droids had gone. Inside the rundown building were eleven young children, a dim gas lamp, a beeping R2-D2, and a, for once, quiet C-3PO. The kids stared up at her with their wide, familiar eyes. One held a small doll made of string and scrap wood that seemed to be holding a sword of some sort.

The feeling of solidarity struck her again. She remembered herself as a child, alone, not knowing where her parents had gone or if she would ever see them again, playing in garbage and pretending it was the best toy that money could buy. Going to sleep knowing the next day she'd have to wake up and go back to her dismal work, but most importantly always… always holding onto a desperate hope that there would be a way out of the horrible place tomorrow, or the next day, or maybe the next. She used those thoughts to calm herself, staying grounded in the mission, and not allowing her past to overwhelm her as it had minutes ago.

The young Jedi smiled at them and held out her own weapon, igniting the blade. It was a calculated risk, one that might scare them out of escaping all together or, if she was right about who the wood toy was, make them trust her.

"Jedi!" A young girl whispered, jumping to her feet.

"Yes. I'm with the Resistance," Rey answered.

She looked over at 3PO who translated quickly. A new voice piped up, and the droid answered that question. Rey didn't know what had been said, but she could assume what is was by the soft, excited buzz filling the small room.

"3PO, tell them to follow me and keep quiet."

* * *

Rey and the children reached the Falcon with minimal bloodshed. Few people had dared stand in the way of the black robed figure with a glowing sword, but those who had were blasted back easily. She didn't want to slice off any limbs in front of her young companions. They were being pursued, and though the guards were a way back, they were close enough that there was no time to waste.

"Get them seated!" Rey yelled, panting from the run here. "R2! Contact the Resistance, and tell them we're all clear."

She took the pilot's seat, flipping switches and trying to do the job of two people as she took off. It was bumpy, and one of the boys screamed as the ship jostled them. R2 beeped softly to the children.

"My friend says Master Rey is an excellent flyer," 3PO translated as Rey steadied the ship in the air and zoomed off toward the town in the East.

There were more beeps from R2.

"Well of course, I consider you a friend!"

"Do… did you see… do you know Luke Skywalker?" One of the kids asked.

"Master Luke? Of course!"

It suddenly occurred to Rey that she could understand the entire conversation, despite that it was happening in another language. She tried to ignore that strange development and focus on getting safely away from Canto Bight. How or why the language made sense was not her main worry right now.

After a short flight, she landed the Falcon at the outskirts of the town, just as the first Resistance ship entered the atmosphere behind them. Rey took a moment to breathe deeply, then walked out of the cockpit. C-3PO was telling a rapt audience something about a flesh-eating pit, bounty hunters, Han Solo frozen in carbonite, and Luke coming to their rescue at the last moment. The story was interrupted with the occasional correction from R2-D2. Rey stood at the door listening. She'd never heard this little tale before and made a mental note to ask about it later.

When the droids seemed to be done, she spoke up.

"Come on kids. We're taking you home."

* * *

**The next chapter is already in progress, and it is so fluffy and cute it makes me feel queasy (in a good way though).**

**I thought of the idea for this expedition and the Force sensitivity while I was watching TLJ for the third time (and deciding Rian Johnson is my personal hero) a few weeks ago, and I just felt like the Canto Bight story needed a resolution. ****I hope you like it, and you can look forward to so much fluff and talking and cuteness in the next update with the aftermath of all this.**


	10. Chapter 10

**Well, my mental health week turned into several weeks for which, I sincerely apologize. I'm trying to get back to my regularly scheduled updating, and I have a lighter week of work coming up, so I'm optimistic I will get the next chapter up in a few days. ****Thanks for sticking with the story and my tumultuous updating schedule.**

* * *

When Rey with her small accompaniment of children entered the town, its inhabitants were already gathered in the dirty and rundown square looking at the distant Canto Bight and hovering ships. A soft chatter rose from them, the words and tone full of confusion and even a nervous anticipation.

A balding middle-aged man on the outskirts of the crowd spotted them, first the two droids, then Rey, then the children who stood behind the Jedi looking around with wide eyes. Most of them recognized this place the way one recognizes a dream come to life, and yet it still felt like coming home – familiar and safe. The man stared at them in silence for a long moment.

"Papa!" One of the little girls shouted, running out from behind Rey and toward the man without hesitation.

Recognition dawned on his face, and he knelt down to scoop her up, lifting her high in the air to look at her small face. He said something Rey couldn't hear, but it made the child laugh loudly.

One by one, the commotion drew the people's attention from the distant light show, until the entire town was swept into an unexpected but welcome reunion. They meshed into the group, largely ignoring Rey and the droids in a desperate search for their own children. Shouting and laughter filled the air, drowning out the distant battle with happier sounds.

And yet, not everyone had something, or rather someone, to be happy about. For every joyful face, there were two still searching, hope slipping away inch by inch as they realized their child wasn't there. Ben had dozens of kids with him though, and they couldn't be far behind. Rey could swear she caught sight of the galloping herd for a moment as the Falcon flew overhead, but she couldn't be certain. What she was certain of was that Ben would see them safely home.

"My granddaughter," a woman with long grey hair pushed through the crowd to Rey and the droids, looking at her with pleading desperate eyes. "I'm looking for my granddaughter."

"Some are still coming," Rey said, still finding it strange how this unknown language sprung from her lips so naturally. "She could be with them."

The woman said something back, but suddenly Rey could no longer understand. Listening to the woman was like conversing with a flickering hologram, where a few words came through, but the rest were garbled and incomprehensible. It was as if a switch was being flicked on and off at random in Rey's mind. She looked to C-3PO for help, but he was distracted by a very young child chattering away at him.

R2 beeped loudly to be heard.

"Well, of course, I understand what he's saying!" 3PO replied. "He says… a loud… a little? A- oh look, Master Rey needs my help."

R2 whirred at Rey who raised a skeptical eyebrow at him.

"As if you understand a toddler's language any better," she jabbed back.

With 3PO now explaining, in too many words, that there was a second group of children, Rey stepped out of the crowd. A pang of sorrow shot through her chest, sorrow that she would never have such a beautiful moment with her own family, but she stifled that feeling quickly. Just because she had lost something didn't mean others should be subjected to the same fate.

The young woman walked to the entrance of the town where a rusted metal arch set in a dilapidated stone wall was the only indicator of any sort of formal entryway. The Falcon sat in a low-cut grass field behind the village where they had snuck in over another crumbling portion of wall, unsure where a proper entrance was and too impatient to find one. In front of Rey stretched the tall grass meadow reaching from the outskirts of Canto Bight as far as the eye could see, broken only by the rundown village. Cool breeze from the nearby sea made the vast field its own ocean, sending small ripples across the tips of the grass that swelled into waves with larger gusts. And then, like a fish disturbing the water, something else materialized in the grass ocean.

On the horizon, a lone fathier emerged. Then another came up behind it, and more behind that, until the entire herd, only just visible over the grass, crested the hill.

They stopped at the edge of the grass, a few yards from where Rey stood. In the dim light, she watched small shadows dismount, each wishing their steed a final goodbye before the fathiers gathered together. It was almost human-like, the way they moved as a group with a clear leader guiding them toward their own freedom somewhere in the distance where no one would disturb them again.

The children were led by the same boy who had spoken to Ben and helped Finn and Rose, the one with an affinity for the Force. He approached Rey with a serious look that made her worry for Ben. It had not escaped her notice that he wasn't with them, but she could still feel his steady connection through the bond. Worry tried to creep up on her, but she cast it aside. If he were in real trouble, she would know. She had to trust the Force.

"Fall," the boy told her, followed by a long sentence that Rey still couldn't understand.

Finally, he pointed back at the field where they had come from and repeated "fall." Then it clicked.

"Thank you," Rey smiled down at him. "You helped us a lot."

Of course, he didn't understand her words, but the meaning was clear. He returned her smile, and led the rest of the children into the village, leaving Rey alone to wonder how far out Ben was. She needed to stay and protect the villagers just in case, but her desire to help her fellow Jedi was almost too strong to deny.

She didn't have to deny it for much longer. In the distance a dim blue glow appeared, shrouded in the foliage. It was unmistakably the glow a lightsaber that slashed through the grass. Rey breathed an audible sigh of relief, when a sweaty and red-faced Ben Solo emerged before her, his face an impassive wall to hide whatever emotion he felt.

In the glow of the saber, Ben's long hair was either plastered to his damp, dirty, and bleeding face or tousled and sticking in all directions. His white shirt had become more of a dirty brown than anything at this point. A few cuts peppered his face, and a bruise was forming under his left eye, one that would undoubtedly get worse before getting better.

"I fell off," he said simply, trying to brush past her concerned look.

Rey grabbed his arm and turned him toward her.

"Are you okay?"

"Fine."

His tone was cold, mirroring his cold, detached emotional state.

"Ben, we did it. You did good. The kids… they're all safe and with their families."

"Not all of them, Rey."

With that he brushed past her, trying to hide a limp that a less perceptive person wouldn't have noticed. He was right, Rey knew, even though that cruel truth was hard to acknowledge. How many children died in Canto Bight before they had arrived? Had they left someone behind? Would the few who were saved ever be the same again?

Rey trailed a little behind Ben, practically able to see the tightness in his shoulders and neck even in the soft light and under the leather jacket, though perhaps the tenseness was transmitted through the bond. It was difficult to be sure, but it was clear he wanted to be left alone.

As the two Jedi entered the square, one child turned and pointed at them talking excitedly in their language. She ran straight for Ben and latched onto his large leg, her head barely coming up to his knee. Before today, he had never spent much time around children, but he was finding them endearing in an innocent way, if not a bit strange. Another girl jumped onto Rey who caught her instinctually, blinking as she began chattering.

Ben glanced over, noticing how she nodded along but clearly wasn't actually understanding anything. C-3PO was busy a few yards away arguing with R2 about something.

Like the first time the Force connected them years ago, the sharing of his language skills had been an accident, something done more by the power of their dyad than his consciousness and eventually broken unintentionally by his exhaustion. This time he pushed the language at Rey deliberately, willing her to understand. It was like sharing a part of his brain with her, something he didn't fully comprehend, but a useful development, nonetheless.

He didn't want to talk to her, but that didn't mean he wanted her to struggle through the rest of the night.

Rey glanced over at Ben who nodded stiffly to her before turning back to the small army of children hugging him. She was a bit peeved that she hadn't realized at once that the Force was responsible for her sudden understanding of the language.

"…light saber! I always wanted to see a Jedi, and you're so amazing!"

"We owe both of you a great debt, Jedi," an older woman said as she approached Rey. "You have saved our children."

"Yes, but for how long?" A new and angrier voice demanded.

"Forever," Rey answered, looking up for the owner of the voice. "The lights you see are Resistance fighters. They will establish a government that will never steal your children again, and that will ensure everyone on this planet is cared for, not just the rich and powerful. You have my word."

Her words rung with truth, even without the suggestive powers of the Force she could have used. Ben could hear her but was mostly occupied with becoming a climbing tree for several younger children and trying to keep the lightsaber away from them. One clung to each arm and three more to his legs.

"Are you Luke Skywalker?" A boy asked, staring up at him with wide innocent eyes.

A spike of tension shot through the bond, catching Rey's attention. Even now, the mention of Luke made Ben feel… well not angry exactly, but confused, torn even. Conflict was not unfamiliar to him.

"No," he growled, trying to center himself and pulling on Rey's relatively calm presence for help.

"Don't be silly!" Another boy yelled at the first. "He's Han Solo! Remember that ship we were in, that's the Minimum Falcon-"

"Millennium Falcon, dummy!" One of the girls attached to Ben's leg interrupted. "And Han Solo isn't a Jedi!"

"He looks just like him though! Aren't you Han Solo?"

Ben frowned down at the child that so desperately wanted to meet the man who was undoubtedly his hero.

"Not exactly, kid. Sorry," he muttered.

The boy's face fell for a moment, then his smile picked right back up.

"But you've met him, right? Is he awesome? Is he secretly a Jedi? Is Chewbacca real? Oh… is _he_ a Jedi?"

"Yes, I've met him," Ben answered through his teeth, weighing each word carefully. "He was… a hero… in his own way. Chewie is… is real, and no my- Han Solo wasn't a Jedi."

His eyes began to burn, and not from the sweat dripping into them. His chest felt constricted with the same claustrophobic, crushing feeling that always accompanied thoughts of his family. A small hand grasped his, a hand attached to the same boy who had led the escape, and who could so obviously sense the Force and Ben's imbalanced energy.

"You're a Jedi though," he said, not leaving room for argument.

Ben wanted to protest, but something told him to accept the title, even if it was only bestowed upon him by a child.

"The Force is real, isn't it?"

In that moment, it was as if no one else was really there, just the two of them, alone, the rest of the world fading into a backdrop of dim light and muffled sounds. The boy's voice was tinged with the raw desperation that accompanies a question someone doesn't really want to ask but must. The type of question that is put off time and time again because maybe the not knowing is easier than facing reality. The type of question Ben and Rey would have to ask of each other soon.

"Yes," Ben replied finally. "But I think you know that."

"I want to be a Jedi."

The man was silent, contemplating his next words, remembering when he too wanted nothing more than to learn the Jedi way under his Uncle's guidance. It was the dream of a child, an immature, inexperienced child, naïve to the cruel ways of the world. But this boy, he was not naïve or inexperienced. Young, yes, but not unacquainted with darkness.

"What's your name?"

"Temirlan."

"How old are you, Temirlan?"

"Ten."

"And do you have a family?"

He looked over and pointed at a young man and woman standing together at a distance with a younger child who looked remarkably similar to this boy.

In his mind's eye, Ben could see himself, so young… too young, excited to be leaving his family for a new adventure without the ever-present General Organa and more distant and often absent Han Solo. If only he had stayed with them, refused the calls of the Light and the Darkness that tried to cleave his soul into two, maybe it would all have been different.

It was too late to know that now, but there was one thing he did know… he refused to become Luke Skywalker, not the Luke Skywalker who had trained him at least. He could not separate a family the same way his own was splintered, especially not to be part of whatever life he and Rey were living and would continue to live for as long as necessary.

"I cannot train you in the ways of the Jedi," Ben knelt down to look Temirlan directly in the eyes, noticing how his face at those words. "Not yet. You should be with your family. There is much to learn from your mother and father, things that a Jedi could never teach you. So not yet, but… someday, I promise."

* * *

Not until the first light of dawn did the sound of distant battle fade. Despite Rose's fear, no Canto Bight guard or soldier ever came close to the village, so the dyad spent a peaceful night with the townsfolk while R2-D2 and C-3PO entertained an ever-changing group of kids with their stories.

Ben was tragically correct. Not everyone found their child, and though they tried to mask that sadness so as not to steal the joy from others, the lingering darkness of resentment lurked deep inside them. The opposite was true too; several of the children had no family left, not even a distant relative to care for them. They were quickly taken in by old family friends or other kind souls, but it wouldn't be the same. Rey would ask Lando to keep an eye on them and make sure they didn't grow up as alone as she had.

Ultimately, it was Rose who brought the news that the fight was over, and the Resistance was, unsurprisingly, victorious. Canto Bight was not a well-fortified city. Before today, no one would dare attack the suppliers of their weapons and ships.

The two women embraced tightly. They shared a mutual respect for one another, though they had spent very little time together. Most of their interactions were after the events of Exegol while Rey was fighting for Ben's life. Rose had supported her. Even through her own loss, she stood by Rey and tried to do what was right.

"I suppose the Generals already have another mission for us?"

"You did a good job here," Rose smiled. "But, yes. Here are the details. R2 will be able to read it."

She handed Rey a small drive.

"May the Force be with you. Both of you."


End file.
